A Study on Urinary Glycated Albumin to urinary albumin excretion in gestational diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Background: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is a public health problem in India with implications well pronounced in pregnancy and beyond. Biomarkers like Glycated Albumin (G.A.) can well monitor the glycaemic status and evaluate the transient hyperglycaemic spikes, which account for the diabetic complications.
 Aims and Objectives: In this study, we intend to study urinary G.A. excretion with respect to urinary albumin excretion expressed as UGA% in gestational diabetes mellitus.
 Materials and Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted for a period of 16 months on 177 pregnant women who attended antenatal clinics for the first time at a single centre.Among the surveyed population, 26 pregnant women subsequently developed GDM, and 31 healthy pregnant women who did not develop GDM were included in the study.
 Results: The UGA% between GDM and healthy mothers showed an increase in GDM with a p value <0.05 during the first and second trimesters. Pearson’s correlation coefficient at 5% interval showed moderate to strong correlation for fasting plasma glucose (FBS) vs UGA% in 1st trimester(r= 0.61) and 3rd trimester(r=0.54).
 Conclusion: The higher UGA% in GDM mothers in the early trimester may help monitor glycaemic status efficiently and timely. Long term follows up would be worthwhile to predict future progression to nephropathy, retinopathy, and neuropathy. Henceforth, UGA being a non-invasive marker may emerge as a more patient-friendly marker reducing the hassles of innumerable invasive tests to monitor the well-being of a mother aswell as a foetus during pregnancy.